Argentina was the last to qualify after beating Switzerland 3-1 after extra time. It took an early lead through Alexis McAllister, before Switzerland equalized and imposed extra time, during which the Argentine national team took advantage of its opponent’s numerical deficiency, with Julian Alvarez scoring the lead goal and Lautaro Martinez adding the third goal. As for Lionel Messi, he did not score this time, but he made the first goal from a corner kick.
The victory kept Argentina in the race to defend the title, but it also confirmed that the task had become more difficult. The team needed extra time against Cape Verde and Switzerland, and also overcame a two-goal deficit against Egypt in the round of 16.
His ability to come back and decide matches is still his main strength, but his retreat after taking the lead and giving opponents the opportunity to come back may turn into a bigger problem for England.
The English team also arrived after a match that extended into extra time against Norway. Jude Bellingham scored both goals in the 2-1 win, continuing to play the most important role in Thomas Tuchel’s team’s attack. The team’s numbers indicate that Bellingham and Harry Kane together scored 12 out of 13 goals for England in the tournament, which reveals the extent of their reliance on them before facing Argentina.
The match between Argentina and England looks close. The Argentine national team has more experience in managing the knockout stages, in addition to the diversity of its attacking options between Messi, Alvarez and Lautaro. On the other hand, England has physical strength and a midfield capable of pressing, but it needs offensive production that is not limited to Bellingham and Kane. The two teams made it through the quarter-finals with difficulty, and therefore the confrontation may be resolved in a small detail or extended once again to additional time.
On the other hand, the confrontation between France and Spain has a different character. France reached the semi-finals for the third time in a row after defeating Morocco 2-0, with goals from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembélé. The French team does not press throughout the match, but it knows when to raise the tempo and how to take advantage of spaces.
Spain surpassed Belgium 2-1 with a late goal scored by Mikel Merino, who had also decided the match against Portugal. The Spanish national team has a greater ability to keep the ball and create chances, but it found it difficult to convert its control into early superiority during the qualifying rounds.
The final may include a replay of the confrontation between Argentina and France in the World Cup in Qatar, or a clash between Argentina and Spain, with a clear artistic nature. England could also reach the final for the first time since its coronation in 1966, but that would require it to get past the defending champion first.
The match between France and Spain will take place on Tuesday, July 14, while England and Argentina will meet on Wednesday, July 15. As for the final, it will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. So far, experience seems to be in favor of France and Argentina, while Spain and England are betting on a generation that has the opportunity to transfer individual superiority to the first world title in many years.
